Edward Eisenstein (he/him/his) earned his BS in Biology and Chemistry from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, and his Ph.D in Biochemistry from Georgetown University.  He also completed an NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship in Molecular Biology at UC Berkeley. He has been an investigator at the University System of Maryland’s Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) and a professor in the Fischell Department of Bioengineering for over 30 years, running his own laboratory while teaching courses in Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Engineering Design, and more.  He has served as Director of the Center for Advanced Research in Biotechnology, co-advised UMD’s iGEM team, and taught with both University Honors and the Integrated Life Sciences programs within UMD’s Honors College. 

Ed’s research interests are in modern molecular and structural biology, biochemistry and biophysics, protein engineering and systems and synthetic biology.  Over his career, his lab worked on a variety of multidisciplinary problems that have provided project-based learning opportunities for students, including foundational aspects of biological regulation and developing new experimental tools and technologies for analyzing with biomolecular interactions.  Current focus is to develop broad, multidisciplinary, multi-investigator, collaborative solutions for the challenge of engineering next-generation plants as robust and healthy feedstocks for the bioeconomy by enhancing their capacity to manage nutritional, biotic and abiotic challenges, with a specific focus on poplar trees using biodesign, biological and biosystems engineering, and modern genome engineering tools. 

When Ed isn’t directing the University Honors program, teaching in the Bioengineering department, or leading his lab, he contributes service to his profession as fellow and president of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), and as an advocacy fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  He also has a long-standing interest in advancing STEM education in communities where opportunity has been limited, and is current board chair of Learning Undefeated, a trailblazing nonprofit that transforms how students experience science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.